A Glacier Carved This Graceful Slope. . .

Photo & Text © 2011 Kim- Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no use, alteration, reproduction or republishing in any media.

How do I have a clue this is so? Well, turn 180 degrees with me via the picture below and you will see the talisman it left behind in this street scene in the Wedgwood neighborhood.

No, that's not human landscaping in front of of two houses on this otherwise ordinary residential street in the Wedgwood neighborhood. That is Big Rock (called Wedgwood Rock by geologists), the second largest glacial erratic in Washington (the largest is in Coupeville on Widbey Island). It was left behind by Vashon Glacier thousands of years ago. The area around it was forested when it was a well known landmark to the native people. It stands 9 feet tall and over 75 feet in circumference. Boy Scouts, rock climbers and even famous mountaineers such as Jim Whittaker practiced their technical skills here decades ago; but, there has been a city ordinance against climbing on it since 1970. I was glad the woman in the blue coat walked by to help you get a sense of its scale. And yes, that is ice on the road and snow was falling when I shot this. For more photos from several angles around this rock, see my More Seattle Stuff page.

A Glacier Carved This Graceful Slope. . .

Photo & Text © 2011 Kim- Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no use, alteration, reproduction or republishing in any media.

How do I have a clue this is so? Well, turn 180 degrees with me via the picture below and you will see the talisman it left behind in this street scene in the Wedgwood neighborhood.

No, that's not human landscaping in front of of two houses on this otherwise ordinary residential street in the Wedgwood neighborhood. That is Big Rock (called Wedgwood Rock by geologists), the second largest glacial erratic in Washington (the largest is in Coupeville on Widbey Island). It was left behind by Vashon Glacier thousands of years ago. The area around it was forested when it was a well known landmark to the native people. It stands 9 feet tall and over 75 feet in circumference. Boy Scouts, rock climbers and even famous mountaineers such as Jim Whittaker practiced their technical skills here decades ago; but, there has been a city ordinance against climbing on it since 1970. I was glad the woman in the blue coat walked by to help you get a sense of its scale. And yes, that is ice on the road and snow was falling when I shot this. For more photos from several angles around this rock, see my More Seattle Stuff page.

Farewell Guitar Emporium

Photo & Text © 2011 Kim- Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no use, alteration, reproduction or republishing in any media.

Filled with gorgeous instruments from local luthiers and high end makers from Canada and the US, looking in the windows of the Guitar Emporium on Ballard Ave was always a pleasure. The Emporium was a fixture in its distinctive building for 21 years. Now viewing and purchasing of their delectable instruments will have to be done on line as the shop is shut with a notice in the window from the owner to look for them as a business in cyber space now.

Farewell Guitar Emporium

Photo & Text © 2011 Kim- Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no use, alteration, reproduction or republishing in any media.

Filled with gorgeous instruments from local luthiers and high end makers from Canada and the US, looking in the windows of the Guitar Emporium on Ballard Ave was always a pleasure. The Emporium was a fixture in its distinctive building for 21 years. Now viewing and purchasing of their delectable instruments will have to be done on line as the shop is shut with a notice in the window from the owner to look for them as a business in cyber space now.

Souvenir Has Closed

Photo & Text © 2011 Kim- Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no use, alteration, reproduction or republishing in any media.

Over the years my favorite shopfront on historic Ballard Ave has been the unmarked entryway to Curtis Steiner's "Souvenir" shop. Steiner is a local artist who has not only sold his one of a kind cards from this location for a decade but delighted the neighborhood with his interesting window displays featuring some of the unique art objects he has collected and sells. Take this Schroeder-like "baby grand" piano with a carved and painted bust of. . . well, it's not Beethoven with those glassy eyes. Yesterday when I walked by their were pieces of not-so-artfully arranged furniture in the windows. Sigh. I hope Steiner opens another venue for his delights. And what made me even sadder was another favorite store I loved to browse, the Guitar Emporium, has also recently closed. A sign in the window says the high-end and custom acoustic instrument business is going on line. I will try to post a photo I took there tomorrow. Things are always changing for businesses, especially in this economy and in that neighborhood which, over the past ten years, has seen a lot of retail change and rising rents and condo conversions. Farewell fave, wonderful shops, and good luck in whatever new incarnation and location you may find yourselves.

This part (hopefully) won't change. This terrazzo and tile entryway with "Frank's" written in the stone will remain as a reminder of the creative charm that can live through decades of changes.

Souvenir Has Closed

Photo & Text © 2011 Kim- Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no use, alteration, reproduction or republishing in any media.

Over the years my favorite shopfront on historic Ballard Ave has been the unmarked entryway to Curtis Steiner's "Souvenir" shop. Steiner is a local artist who has not only sold his one of a kind cards from this location for a decade but delighted the neighborhood with his interesting window displays featuring some of the unique art objects he has collected and sells. Take this Schroeder-like "baby grand" piano with a carved and painted bust of. . . well, it's not Beethoven with those glassy eyes. Yesterday when I walked by their were pieces of not-so-artfully arranged furniture in the windows. Sigh. I hope Steiner opens another venue for his delights. And what made me even sadder was another favorite store I loved to browse, the Guitar Emporium, has also recently closed. A sign in the window says the high-end and custom acoustic instrument business is going on line. I will try to post a photo I took there tomorrow. Things are always changing for businesses, especially in this economy and in that neighborhood which, over the past ten years, has seen a lot of retail change and rising rents and condo conversions. Farewell fave, wonderful shops, and good luck in whatever new incarnation and location you may find yourselves.

This part (hopefully) won't change. This terrazzo and tile entryway with "Frank's" written in the stone will remain as a reminder of the creative charm that can live through decades of changes.

Snow, But Nothing's Sticking

Photo & Text © 2011 Kim- Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved; no use, alteration, reproduction or republishing in any media.

It's cold enough to tempt anyone into Murphy's Irish Pub for something warming during the light snowfall. But wait, that red hand is saying, "don't cross." :-).